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Turkish Press Review, 04-12-30Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>30.12.04Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] AKP PARLIAMENTARY GROUP MEETSThe ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) parliamentary group chaired by Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan convened yesterday. During the two- hour meeting, the group discussed an inquiry motion into Education Minister Huseyin Celik submitted by the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). Erdogan said that there had been no irregularities in Education Ministry bids and urged the AKP deputies to lend Celik their support, adding that his post and the education ministry were frequent targets for political fire. Responding to criticisms of the new minimum wage announced this week, Erdogan said that his administration was also aware that the wage hike was insufficient. “We did our best with what the possibilities at hand,” said the premier. /Turkiye/[02] GUL TO TRAVEL TO MIDEAST IN PUSH FOR PEACEDuring a visit to Israel and Palestine set for next week, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will signal to Israeli and Palestinian officials that Turkey is ready to move the peace process in the region forward. Speaking to reporters at a press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan told reporters that Gul was set to travel to the Mideast just after the New Year. Pointing to presidential elections in Palestine set for Jan. 9, Tan said that in addition to Palestinian officials, Gul is scheduled to meet with Israel’s president, premier and foreign minister. /Star/[03] FOREIGN MINISTRY: “75 TURKS REMAIN MISSING IN SOUTHEAST ASIA”Some 75 Turks remain missing in Southeast Asia in the wake of the weekend earthquake-tsunami disaster, Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan told reporters in Ankara yesterday. They are among more than 4,000 overseas tourists still missing three days after the world’s biggest earthquake in decades. Since 10-meter waves destroyed roads, bridges and communications equipment, many of the missing are out of reach. Declining to confirm any deaths, Tan said officials were still trying to contact 41 Turkish citizens in Thailand, five in Malaysia, seven in India, four in Myanmar, four in Sri Lanka, five in the Maldives, two in Singapore and seven in Indonesia. “As lines of communication have broken down in the affected regions, for now it’s better to say that these people cannot be contacted rather than counting them as casualties,” Tan said. He added that Ankara was sending $1 million in aid to the region, though the best way to convey it was still under discussion. Red Crescent (Kizilay) head Talat Yilmaz said that the group would provide in-cash aid to the region within one week. In related news, two search and rescue teams (AKUT) have been dispatched to Sri Lanka upon the request of its government. /Sabah, Hurriyet/[04] NSC TO DISCUSS CYPRUS, TURKEY’S EU BID, IRAQThe National Security Council (NSC) is due to convene today to discuss a number of domestic and foreign issues, including Cyprus, Turkey’s European Union membership bid, and Iraq. The meeting will be chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. /Hurriyet/[05] DEPUTY SEC’Y OF STATE ARMITAGE TO MEET WITH GUL, ARINC AND OZKOKUS Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, who is due to arrive in Turkey next week for an official visit, is expected to meet next Monday with Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok to discuss bilateral military ties. Later, Armitage is due to meet separately with Foreign Minister Abdulah Gul and Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc to discuss a number of issues, including relations between Ankara and Washington. /Milliyet/[06] US STATE DEPARTMENT: “TURKEY IS FREE TO ESTABLISH TIES WITH ITS NEIGHBORS”Speaking at a Tuesday press conference, US State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said that notwithstanding Washington’s strained relations with countries such as Syria, Turkey was free to establish ties with its neighbors as it sees fit. Asked about recent progress in Ankara’s relations with Damascus, including a new free trade agreement, Ereli said, "Turkey is free to have the kind of bilateral relationships that it wants with the countries of the region. It's not our position to comment on that. If the subject of Syria is raised [during Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage's upcoming visit to Ankara] ... we would obviously reiterate our position on Syria and on both insofar as it relates to Iraq as well as it relates to other countries in the region. But those are positions, I think, which you know very well, which we've been very candid about ... And as far as what Turkey does with Syria, that's between Turkey and Syria." /Aksam/[07] CHP INQUIRY MOTION INTO EDUCATION MINISTER REJECTEDParliament’s General Assembly yesterday debated and then voted an inquiry motion submitted by the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) into Education Minister Huseyin Celik, who was accused of corruption state in bidding. Speaking to deputies, Celik denied the allegations, adding that contracts for school construction should not always be awarded to the lowest bidder. “The motion is a politically motivated one, and I can give an account of everything I did,” said Celik. In a secret ballot, the motion was rejected with 304 votes. /Cumhuriyet/[08] ANOTHER TURKISH TRUCK DRIVER KILLED IN IRAQIraqi officials stated yesterday that a Turkish truck driver had been killed in Samarra as the result of an armed attack. The identity of the victim was not given. The number of Turkish citizens killed in the country since the beginning of the Iraq war now stands at over 70. /Star/[09] GREEK CYPRIOT FM: “COME FEBRUARY, I EXPECT MORE EFFORTS FOR A CYPRUS DEAL”Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister George Yakovu said yesterday that he believed efforts to find a resolution to the Cyprus issue would gain momentum next February. Speaking to the Athens News Agency, Yakovu called for preliminary talks between Turkish and Greek Cypriots to lay the groundwork for expected new negotiations between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cyprus. “During these preliminary talks we should decide what we’ll negotiate on,” he said, adding that he was opposed to discussing the most recent UN Cyprus plan. /Milliyet/[10] AGAR: “RAISING DEPUTIES’ SALARIES WOULD BE WRONG”True Path Party (DYP) Chairman Mehmet Agar yesterday weighed in on recent debates over the 2005 budget at a press conference at Parliament. Agar argued that the new budget was no different than previous ones, adding that foreign debt was being hiked by 20% and domestic debt by 50%. He also criticized a proposal by a group of 100 deputies from both the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) to raise their salaries. “I believe that sacrifices must be shared equally by all sectors of society,” he said. “If public servants, workers and the retired didn’t get what they wanted, neither should the deputies.” Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected the last- minute proposal during the budget debates, reportedly fearing a public backlash over such a move. /Star, Turkiye/[11] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[12] THE TRNC AND TALAT BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)Columnist Fikret Bila comments on the Cyprus issue. A summary of his column is as follows:“‘The TRNC’s independence was a dream,’ said Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat this week. If a prime minister speaks of his country this way, how will others talk? Firstly, if you’re the premier of a country which you don’t believe in and are preparing to run for president, wouldn’t this raise your ambivalence? Secondly, if the prime minister says such things even as we’re preparing to sit at the table with the European Union and Southern Cyprus, what bargaining power do we have? Who believes in a person who doesn’t believe in himself? Most probably Talat will stand for president in the April 2005 elections. If he’s elected, he’ll head the Turkish delegation in the next talks and protect the rights of Turkish Cypriots. He’ll work for the establishment of a common state based on two equal nations, two democracies and two states. However, such remarks only make him weaker. He might have a certain view concerning the TRNC’s independence. However, posts such as prime minister and president require different responsibilities. Of course neither Turkey nor the Turkish Cypriots expected the TRNC to be recognized on the day of its establishment. However, many efforts were made for its recognition. Of course Talat knows the reason for the TRNC’s founding better than any of us. Not the 1974 Peace Operation, but the Greek Cypriots’ coup d’état destroyed the Cypriot Republic. They tyrannized and expelled Turks for years and seized the Cypriot Republic. That’s why Ankara is intervening in the issue under its right as a guarantor state. It’s an obligation for us to protect Turkish Cypriots’ lives, goods and sovereignty. Likewise, before the TRNC was founded, the Turkish side stated its intention not to divide the country, but reunite it in the future. However, after the Greek Cypriot administration was accepted as the only legal government representing the entire island, it became clear that a solution based on two equal sovereignties would be possible only with the TRNC. Now the search for a solution is proceeding on this basis, and Talat is the premier of that country and preparing to become the president.” [13] A SPECIALIST BY BURHAN AYERI (AKSAM)Columnist Burhan Ayeri comments on the so-called Armenian genocide. A summary of his column is as follows:“Groups dedicated to making Turkey accept claims of the so-called Armenian genocide, including those from the European Union, have always favored Halil Berktay. A professor at Sabanci University, Berktay is a historian, but he hasn’t done any original research into the claims. He always says that ‘something’ happened in 1915 and gives speeches supporting Yerevan and the claims of the Armenian diaspora. He even said, ‘What would happen if Turkey accepts this? It’s far in the past.’ Even non-specialists can see what would follow such an acceptance. This is a situation designed to lead Turkey into a trap. Like those who say, ‘Give Cyprus away and get rid of the problem’… Another professor, Nursen Mazici, explored the events at that time from many angles, and not from her armchair either. Mazici probed the allegations using evidence from British and French archives and proved that the events, which the Ottoman Empire is blamed for, were a plot of Britain. Mazici explained how Britain promised the land to both the Kurds and Armenians and so set them against each other. ‘The problem is geography and the will to possess the region’s natural resources,’ added Mazici. ‘History repeats itself, but only for fools!’ Similar discussions are taking place over the future of Cyprus. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas is sticking to his guns. TRNC Foreign Minister Mehmet Ali Talat, on the other hand is tiring of all this and is slowly accepting his destiny. If the Turkish Cypriots gain anything, it will be thanks to Denktas. If it were my choice, I would appoint him our chief negotiator for the EU accession talks.” Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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